The following table includes notes on changes to definitions and methods in the historical sources, as reported at the time. These notes are presented here for historical purposes. For more information about the assumptions used in the production of this publication, see the Explanatory Notes. In some cases the assumptions used in this publication will supercede the notes below.

NOTES FROM HISTORICAL SOURCES

Reference year

Footnotes

1944

Restrictions placed on production of beer in Australia between March 1942 and March 1946. Limited output for civilian supplies to an average of about 86 million gallons annually.

1946-47

Includes consumption by services in Australia, subject to revision.

1953-54

Method revised to give a more accurate result for beer consumption statistics. Beer consumption statistics are based on the quantity of beer removed from the breweries, duty paid, plus the quantity removed free of duty for consumption in Australia, with the addition of small quantities of imports cleared for home consumption. Adjustments have been made on this basis to details for earlier years.

1955-56

Net change in stocks for wine, changed to movement in wholesalers stocks (movements in stocks of Australian fortified wine in bond to 1954-55).

1958-59

From 1958-59, beer available for consumption consists of the quantity removed duty paid from breweries or breweries delivery stores, plus that removed free for home consumption less the quantity on which a refund of duty was paid with the additional of small quantities of imported beer cleared for home consumption.

The increased market share of 'low alcohol' beers and wines had led to a revision in the methodology of calculating litres of alcohol consumption. From 1984-85, consumption data will show the apparent decrease resulting from the inclusion of low alcohol beverages. From 1984-85 to 1988-89, this distinction was made using a concentration of 2.4% v/v for low-alcohol beer and 4.8% for standard beer. Before 1984-85, alcohol from beer was calculated using a concentration of 4.8% v/v.

1989-90

From 1989-90 onwards data for beer have been complied on the basis of excise data. Prior to this alcohol content of beer was calculated using 2.4% by volume for low alcohol beer and 4.8% for other beer. Data for prior years were not re-calculated, so that only data for the 1989-90 and subsequent years are directly comparable.

From 1999-2000, apparent consumption is calculated by dividing the quantity available for consumption by the estimated resident population of persons aged 15 years and over in Australia at 31 December each year.

Ready to Drink (pre-mixed) products include spirit-based, wine-based, and other than spirit or wine-based products.Spirits excludes Ready to Drink (pre-mixed) spirits.

2003-04

Beer: Since 2003-04 the excise data used in these calculations has been obtained from the Australian Taxation Office. In previous years excise data was obtain from the Australian Custom Service. As the non-excisable component of alcohol (the first 1.15%) was estimated by these departments, the 2003-04 data may not be directly comparable with previous years. Data may not be comparable with previous years.Spirits: Alcohol intake from spirits is obtained from import clearance data and excise data on Australian production with an adjustment to account for the excise paid on imported spirits which are commercially mixed with locally manufactured soft-drinks after importation. Since 2003-04 the excise data used in these calculations has been obtained from the Australian Taxation Office. In previous years excise data was obtain from the Australian Customs Service.Import clearance codes used to calculate the Ready To Drink (pre-mixed) products available for consumption quantity are: 2208.90.2036 (distilled alcoholic beverages, nes, having an alcoholic strength by volume exceeding 1.15% but not exceeding 10% volume) and 2208.90.2037 (spiritous beverages, nes, having an alcoholic strength by volume exceeding 1.15% but not exceeding 10% volume). Ready to Drink (pre-mixed) products can include spirit based, wine based, and other unspecified based products.

2006-07

As a result of excise tariff reform in July 2006 new data items (for beer brewed on the premises) which were not provided in previous editions have been introduced to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) source data. The additional data items have been prorated across all beer strengths for this edition. As a result, the total quantity of alcohol available for consumption and apparent consumption per person for beer may not be directly comparable with data prior to 2004–05.There have been changes to the excise data for beer provided by the ATO since excise tariff reform in July 2006. Currently, only data on the dutiable quantity of alcohol in beer is provided. Data on the first 1.15% of alcohol in beer (which does not attract excise), and data on the total volume of beer, is no longer provided. As a result, in this edition, the 1.15% excise-free component and the total volume of beer have been estimated using separate average strength estimates for packaged and tap beer for each of the three beer strengths, based on historical excise data. Therefore, the total quantity of alcohol and total volume of beer available for consumption, and apparent per capita consumption for beer, may not be directly comparable with data before 2005–06.

2008-09

After a review into the estimated component for home production, incorporating advice from the industry, the estimate for the home production of beer was marginally increased from 2.1% of total beer available for consumption to 2.2%.A review of the alcoholic content of wine took place. Alcoholic content as follows: fortified (17.9%), sparkling and carbonated (11.2%), table wine average (12.7%), table wine - white (12.2%), table wine - red (13.4%), vermouth (16.4%), other wine n.e.i. (14.4%).